The end is near...

Yesterday NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith flew to Florida together for the NFLPA version of the rookie symposium.  They flew from Minneapolis, Minnesota where they opened up a planned four day labor discussion.  Later today they will be flying back to Minneapolis to continue talks.  Goodell brought his people and Smith brought his people to the meeting, the players and owners won't be there.  Something is brewing...

According to NFL.com;

The parties' legal teams are expected to trade proposals on the framework of a settlement, in an effort to move the process toward conclusion, and they will intensify their focus on the key issues, most notably the revenue split.

That sounds like progress...

Not only did Goodell and Smith fly together, but they had breakfast together that morning, and they addressed the media together after the rookie symposium. From NFL.com;

The outwardly friendly relationship between Goodell and Smith continues to show that the ice has thawed between the sides and that progress, as several league and players association members said, is being made.

This weeks four days of meetings will be the longest so far.  Also word will soon drop from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on the district court's issuance of a lockout lifting injunction.  And both side are on record as saying they want an agreement in place before their ruling comes down.  

The closer the lockout gets to costing everyone money the bigger the sense of urgency gets.  Can you feel it?  The end is near...